Príncipe

Príncipe is the northern major island of the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe in Africa. The island was discovered by Portugal on 17 January 1471, Saint Anthony's Day, and the Portuguese commemorated the day of its discovery by naming its capital "Santo Antonio". The north and center of the island was made into room for plantations, and the United Provinces seized the valuable island in 1598, 1600, and from 1641 to 1644 during the Dutch Revolt. In 1706 and 1709, France invaded the island during the War of the Spanish Succession, and the fort at Santo Antonio was destroyed by the pirate Bartholomew Roberts in 1719 during the Battle of Principe. After São Tomé and Príncipe gained independence in 1975, the plantations were replaced by forests, and the island had a population of around 5,000 people in 2017.